Here are the Nanaimo, Duncan and Saltspring Island eateries I always go to and wouldn’t hesitate recommending: 1. Aladdin’s Caf

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Living in Vancouver for many years, my family and I have visited Victoria several times.  We do not own a vehicle so when family members come to visit we often rent a car to make the trip over to Vancouver Island.  But we’ve also gone as foot passengers, from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria.  It’s actually quite easy for those that prefer not to drive. Victoria, BC is the fittest city in the country, according to Statistics Canada.  Victorians make more than 120,000 trips a day by foot.  City planners are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hope to […]

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I travel a lot around the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands for business.  Here’s a list of places I love to go to and, after 18 years on living on the Sunshine Coast, I can confirm that they are good eateries, reasonable prices and good service. The order is not meant to show favourtism, it’s just the order that came into my head. 1. Nagomi Sushi Bar 446 Marine DrGibsons, BC604 886-2562 Small little, mom & pop operation right by the Harbour in lower Gibsons. Vancouver quality but Sunshine Coast prices, meaning it’s a real deal. A […]

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I never thought I’d visit Coombs, which is a small town near Parksville–Qualicum.  It’s a name on the map for me and until we chose to go to Butterfly World I didn’t think I’d have the pleasure of finding one of the most eclectic shopping areas in the world. The draw for this market is that they have grass on the rooftops of the market (I wonder if the new Convention Centre in Vancouver stole their idea) and they have goats trimming the grass.  Well, it’s been pretty darn hot and I suspect that the goats wouldn’t enjoy the dry […]

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The travelling family is always on the look-out for a good place to visit that the children will enjoy, but has some educational value and isn’t just wall-to-wall commercialism. The Butterfly World & Gardens in Coombs BC fits this bill.  We had an 8 and 2 year old with us and their interests were both piqued.  The eldest just wanted a butterfly to land on her and stay for a couple of moments.  The youngest wanted to just be able to see everything and had a good sense of discovery. Fortunately the facility wasn’t just a pile of butterflies flitting […]

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If you want to see some animals in captivity, but are in captivity for a good reason — i.e. they’d be dead in a minute in the wild — the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington BC is a good choice. To get there, you need to take the Alberni Highway (4A) which you can access via Highway 19.  It’s quite close to Parksville (about 4 km) and makes an excellent day trip for the family. The place is not a zoo as such and it has a wonderfully rustic feel about it.  It’s a place to try to […]

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I’m not sure why it’s called Parkville; it should be called Beachville.  (Apparently Parksville was actually named after a fellow named Nelson Parks.)   We are staying at Ocean Trails Resort which has access to Rathtrevor Beach.  A bunch of resorts take advantage of the access to the water.  The reason is obvious: the beach during the various tides can reach out for what seems like miles and you can walk along the beach for what seems like miles. There are lots of tiny creatures to look at in the tide pools including craps, clams and other shelled critters.  When […]

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Twice now I’ve eaten at Lefty’s (101 – 280 East Island Highway) in Parksville.  It’s got a mix of casual dining with funky booths and decor but the kitchen actually has some imagination.  We had an 8 and 2 year old in tow and there were other families and they had a diverse kids’ menu. I ate a bison burger with bacon and cheese and it was a really nice change from the generic beef. And I actually ate their side salad.  I never eat side salads.  My wife had a curry vegetable bowl with noodles.  She’s a vegetarian and […]

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If you are allergic to, or dislike, chocolate please read no further.  In Vancouver there is a chocolate shop that is pretty darn amazing.  I am a chocolate junkie and I have the waistline to prove it.   Chocolate Arts at 2037 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver in the Kitsilano neighbourhood is worth a visit.  Make sure when you walk in you try just one of their chocolates.  Take the time for your tongue and nose to realize this ain’t your emergency-got-to-have-a-fix bag of M&Ms.  This is for real.   The other thing that’s cool is they take their artistry seriously.  […]

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If you are in Vancouver on a fine summer’s day and want a busy beach with lots of sightseeing (people or geography) you can’t go wrong on Vancouver’s Kits Beach.  This past weekend there was Kits Fest [Aug 20, 21, 22 2010] which had beach volleyball and basketball tournaments plus a variety of tents ranging from local agencies (Kits Chamber of Commerce, Kits Community Centre, Kits House) and it was reasonably child-friendly.   But honestly, who cares?  It’s the stunning visuals that matter.  If you are people watching the variety of people ranging from the artificially beautiful to the naturally […]

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